NYS Music 20​18

Author: Chris Capaci

  • Port Chester is for Umph-Lovers

    Sunday, October 14 marked the fifth time Umphrey’s Mcgee has stopped off at Port Chester, New York’s Capitol Theater. It was also the band’s first Sunday show at the historic New York State venue, and if you haven’t heard it yet (or maybe you have and just aren’t listening) “never miss a Sunday show.” Umphrey’s Mcgee ran the gauntlet of their repertoire with a mix of songs both new and old. They also invited Tierinii Jackson and Ori Naftaly, of their supporting act Southern Avenue, on stage to close out the first set with a version of The Beatles’ “Come Together,”  a song they haven’t played since 2007, making it the first time played in 1,240 shows. The second set featured another cover we haven’t heard the boys play in some time as well. ZZ Top’s La Grange made its first appearance since 2013. Although we only got one verse, it hasn’t been done in 532 shows. They found their way in and out of teases from Fleetwood Mac, The Verve and Jake even found himself behind Joel’s keys during the band’s original “Plunger.” As it goes with these guys, don’t blink, you just might miss something great. Especially on a Sunday night in New York.

    Set List

    Set 1: The Floor, Draconian > Mulche’s Odyssey, The Pequod, You & You Alone, Bridgeless -> Hajimemashite, Come Together[1]

    Set 2: The Triple Wide[2], Seasons, Plunger[3], What We Could Get, I Ran, Resolution[4] -> La Grange[5] > Ocean Billy[6]

    Encore: Kula > Bridgeless

    Notes:
    [1] with Tierinii Jackson on vocals and Ori Naftaly on guitar (Southern Avenue)
    [2] with Rhiannon (Fleetwood Mac) tease in intro
    [3] with Jake on keys
    [4] with Norwegian Wood (The Beatles) jam
    [5] one verse
    [6] with Bitter Sweet Symphony (The Verve) tease

  • Old Crow Medicine Show Brings Southern Country to New York City

    Old Crow Medicine Show packed up their fiddles and Banjos and headed up to Central Park on Thursday, July 26. It was a beautiful July night at the summer stage. Old Crow’s show packs a high energy punch and brings a modern indie rock/alternative twist to a traditional blues and folk sound. The band has been around for a decade now, and in that time they have been inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, won a Grammy Award for Best Folk Album, and had a platinum single “Wagon Wheel” that was co-authored by frontman Ketch Secor and Bob Dylan. Old Crow Medicine Show has been on the road all summer in support of their new album, Volunteer. The tour included stops at Bonnaroo, the Outlaw Music festival, and a has a stop coming up at The Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado on August 17, just to point out a few.

    Setlist: Child of the Mississippi, Alabama High-Test, Take ‘Em Away, Brave Boys All Night Long, Dixie Avenue, The Good Stuff, A World Away, Old Hickory, Tiger Rag*, See See Rider^, Motel in Memphis, In the Jailhouse Now#, Blowin’ in the Wind%, Cocaine Habit$, Firewater, I Hear Them All/This Land Is Your Land, Flicker & Shine, Wagon Wheel

    Encore: Whiskey in My Whiskey, Stay All Night&, Spirit in the Sky!

    *(Original Dixieland Jazz Band cover)
    ^(‘Ma’ Rainey & Her Georgia Jazz Band cover)
    #(Jimmie Rodgers cover)
    %(Bob Dylan cover)
    #(standard cover)
    &(Willie Nelson cover)
    !(Norman Greenbaum cover)

  • Dispatch Hits The Central Park Park Summer Stage

    On the evening of Wednesday, July 18, Dispatch, joined by Nahko and Medicine for the People and singer-songwriter Raye Zaragoza, took the stage in Manhattan’s Central Park for the first of a two-night stand. Brad Corrigan, Chad Stokes and Pete Francis formed Dispatch over twenty years ago and have been no strangers to New York City over the last two decades. The band reminisced on stage about the early years at the former lower Manhattan venue “The Wetlands.” In the summer of 2007, during their hiatus, Dispatch sold out Madison Square Garden for three consecutive nights. All of the money raised from those ticket sales went directly to charities that are fighting disease, famine and social injustice. And now, seven years after the break ended in 2011, they are a part of The City Parks Foundation’s illustrious SummerStage line up. Their blend of folk, indie rock, funk and reggae combined with their ability to just downright jam out is a perfect addition to the outdoor music scene the park is hosting this season.

    Set List:

    Only the Wild Ones, Time Served, Midnight Lorry, Bang Bang, Beto, Windy Like, Flying Horses, Painted Yellow Lines, Rice Water, Fallin’, Curse + Crush, Open Up, Fly With Me, Bats in the Belfry, Be Gone, Out Loud

  • Umphrey’s McGee: Welcome Back to Asbury Park

    For the eighth consecutive year, Umphrey’s McGee made The Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park New Jersey a part of their summer plans. Located in the lot behind the iconic Jersey shore rock venue The Stone Pony, the Summer Stage sets have historically showcased the metal and prog rock side of Umphrey’s Mcgee’s vast spectrum of musical influences. The 2018 installment continued this tradition by showcasing “Remind Me” as a first set closer followed by a “Wizard Burial Ground” into a  “Sludge & Death” second set opener. They would ultimately close out the second set by going back to “Wizard Burial Ground” as well.

    In past years, Umphrey’s McGee has taken the Asbury Park encore as an opportunity to bust out a cover. They have dropped both “Mother” by Danzig and “Last Caress” by the Misfits as band debuts in 2012 and 2016, respectively. And their 2014 “Front Porch” had a “Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls” (reprise) mashed into it. “Don’t Go Chasing Front Porches” on Zonkey part 2 maybe? For 2018’s encore, Pantera’s “Walk” was played for the first time with this preamble from bassist Ryan Stasik; “What’s up, New Jersey!?!?!?!? Put your fists in the air! When we come to New Jersey, we come to kick fuckin’ ass and play rock and roll.  We lost a good one, we lost Vinnie. He’s up there with Dimebag. Pantera meant a lot to me growing up. Rest in peace, we’re gonna play some non-sissy type music. Let’s have some fun!”

    mm/

    Setlist:

    Set One: Nipple Trix, Roctopus, Pequod, Andy’s Last Beer, Seasons, It Doesn’t Matter, You and You Alone, Remind Me

    Set Two: Wizard Burial Ground, Sludge & Death, Xmas At Wartime, The Silent Type, Jessica, Cemetery Walk, Cemetery Walk II, August, Wizard Burial Ground

    Encore: Kula, Walk

  • Formula 5 Shares Stage with Fellow Tri-state Bands at DROM NYC

    Formula 5‘s spring tour brought them to Manhattan’s East Village venue, DROM, on April 12 with support from other tri-state bands Goose, Animal Reporters and Bee The Band.

    Setlist:

    Breaking Glass, Blue -> Tangled Up In Blue+, The Clear* -> Booher’s Pass, Come Along

    + Bob Dylan cover
    * Unfinished

  • Ghost Light and Magic Beans Join Forces at Brooklyn Bowl

    Ghost Light kicked off the second leg of their debut tour on Wednesday, April 11. The scene’s newest supergroup, consisting of Tom Hamilton (Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, American Babies, Brothers Past, Electron, and former Phil and Friends member), Holly Bowling, Steve Lyons (Nico’s Gun), Raina Mullen (American Babies) and Scotty Zwang (Dopapod), made their east coast debut at Brooklyn Bowl with support from Colorado favourites Magic Beans. Ghost Light’s show consisted of some favourites from Tom Hamilton’s past projects along with some fresh improvisations, and a couple of covers from The Stones and The Dead.

    Magic Beans:

    Set One:
    Give Me Something Real, Mission -> Do Your Thing, Mr Scientist, Lewd -> Lost and Found

    Ghost Light:

    Set 1: Untitled Jam, Simple Gift of Man *, Streets of Brooklyn

    Set 2: Untilted Song> Sway+> Lead Weight > Bullseye Blues

    E: Jack Straw&

    * Brothers Past Cover, First Time Played
    + Rolling Stones Cover, First Time Played
    & Grateful Dead Cover First Time Played

  • The Funk, The Whole Funk, And Nothing But The Funk

    Lettuce and The Motet finished up their two-night stand at The Capitol Theater in Port Chester, NY on Saturday, March 24. The Motet’s high power, high energy brand of in-your-face-funk started the night off on the right foot. They were joined on stage by percussionist extraordinaire Nate Werth (Snarky Puppy, Ghost Note), adding an extra layer of rhythm to their already robust sound. Lettuce and The Motet capped the run off with a set of deep funk jams and crowd hyping beats. They came complete with a few musical twists and turns including a quick version of Biggie’s “Juicy” and encoring with Rick Jame’s “Mary Jane”.

    Set List

    Moetet:

    Own It, Damn, Supernova, Fountain, Keep On, Conatagious, Handcuffs, Get It Right

    Lettuce:

    Mt Crushmore, Lobbiest, Blaze, Prince SMZ, Purple Cabbage, S.L.A.P., Lettsanity, Gogo (Juicy), Gang Ten, 116th, Chief It Up, Moksha, Trap

    Encore:

    Mary Jane

  • Lespecial Night at The Knitting Factory

    Lespecial made their return to Brooklyn on Friday, March 23. It’s been five months since they had the release party for their latest studio album, Cheen, in Brooklyn last October. The Knitting Factory opened their doors at 11:00 p.m. for an “after midnight” show, but in true New York City fashion, the room didn’t fill up till around a quarter to 1. Also in true New York City fashion, the fans came to rage! Lespecial brought the Williamsburg crowd into the early hours of Saturday morning with a set that ran a gauntlet of musical genres. Their original songs contain influences from everything from hip-hop to metal and everything in between. Fittingly, the songs they covered on Friday ranged from Black Sabbath to Cardi B. With an arsenal of talent, high energy and a sound to call their own, Lespeical continues to be on the “must see shows” list.

    Set List:

    (Mars Attacks Theme Intro), Donut Ghost House I, Jackwise>DnB> Jackwise, HMU*> The Vessel, March of The Pigs> Piggy•, Fruit Wolf Dance> 21st Century Iron Man+> Fruit Wolf Dance, American Life#, American Apocalypse, Fanfarra % > Pray For Me~, Donut Ghost House II, Wake Up! @ > Sound That We Do> Bodak, Yellow¥, Gallows Hill

    E: Onlookers, National Anthem£

    * Space Jesus
    • Nine Inch Nails medley
    + King Crimson/Black Sabbath mashup
    # Primus
    % Sergio Mendez
    ~ Kendrick Lamar
    @ Zion I
    ¥ Cardi B
    £ Radiohead

  • Puttin’ It In The Dumpsta

    On Friday, March 16, Dumpsta phunk made a stop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn for a night of New Orleans funk at the Brooklyn Bowl. They gave fans everything expected in a show from the Nola-funk gurus with a couple of surprises mixed in, including a cover of The Eagles’ hit “Life in the Fast Lane” and a two-song cameo from guitarist Tash Neal. The Dumpstaphunk tour goes through Philly and Richmond before it hits the West Coast.

    Setlist: Make it After All, Let’s Get At It, I Wish You Would, Do You, Street Parade, Life In The Fastlane, Sounds*, United Nation Stomp*, Dumpstamental, Maze, Justice, Up From The Downstroke, Dancin’ To The Truth

    *Featuring Tash Neal

  • JRAD at Brooklyn Bowl: Night 3

    Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD) brought their three-night run at Brooklyn Bowl to an end on March 10. JRAD filled the Williamsburg venue with deep jams and surprises from start to finish, from opening with a JRAD debut cover of The Rolling Stones’ “The Last Time,” to finishing the second set with a “Throwing Stones” that went into two other debut covers, Led Zepplin’s “Good Times Bad Times” and The Band’s “Chest Fever,” before coming to an end.

    They mixed in some fun teases of songs like Radiohead’s “Myxomatosis,” WOLF!’s “Fastso’s Last Stand” and there may have been a few “Terrapin Station” riffs tossed around at points as well. Topping the whole Brooklyn run off was a “One More Saturday Night” encore that left a capacity crowd calling for more. It’s official, Brooklyn Bowl no longer has a roof. Marco Benevento, Tom Hamilton, Scott Metzger, Dave Dreiwitz and Joe Russo have blown it clean off. Again.

    Set List
    Set 1: The Last Time> Shakedown Street> The Other One> Mission in the Rain> Crazy Fingers> Truckin’
    Set 2: Slipknot!> Foolish Heart> Help on the Way> Slipknot!> I Need A Miracle> Franklin’s Tower> Throwing Stones> Good Times, Bad Times> Throwing Stones> Chest Fever> Throwing Stones Reprise
    Encore: One More Saturday Night